Katsuhiro Harada Says Goodbye To Bandai Namco After 30 Years With TEKKEN

Katsuhiro Harada (photo: @Harada_TEKKEN)

JAKARTA - Katsuhiro Harada, the figure who has been the main face for 30 years behind the TEKKEN series, announced that he will leave Bandai Namco by the end of 2025.

Harada made the announcement in an emotional message on his personal X account, coinciding with the 30th anniversary of the TEKKEN game.

"With the TEKKEN series reaching its 30th anniversary, an important milestone for a project that I have spent most of my life on for him, I feel it is the most appropriate moment to close one chapter," wrote Harada.

I’d like to share that I’ll be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025.With the TEKKEN series reaching its 30th anniversary—an important milestone for a project I’ve devoted much of my life to—I felt this was the most fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close.

My roots lie…

— Katsuhiro Harada (@Harada_TEKKEN) December 8, 2025

I'd like to share that I'll be leaving Bandai Namco at the end of 2025.With the TEKKEN series reaching its 30th anniversary'an import milestone for a project I've voted much of my life to I felt this was the most fitting moment to bring one chapter to a close.

My roots lie...

In the last four to five years, Harada stated that he had slowly handed over many creative responsibilities to his team, from story development to world development of TEKKEN.

He said he was lucky to be involved in various unique projects such as Summer Lessons on VR platforms, Pokkern Tournament, SoulCalibur, and a number of other projects both inside and outside Bandai Namco.

"I am gradually handing over all my responsibilities, including the stories and world development that I supervise, to the team, which takes me to the present," he continued.

He also reminisced about the time when he started everything from below, from a small tournament in the Japanese academy, to bringing the fleet cabinet alone to various venues to introduce TEKKEN to the players.

There are still no details on Katsuhiro Harada's steps in the future. However, he said he would reveal it gradually in the future.

"To everyone who has supported me, to communities around the world, and to all colleagues who have been walking with me for years," concluded Harada.